


Stories of the Second Self: Unconventional Means

by John_Steiner



Series: Alter Idem [105]
Category: Urban Fantasy - Fandom, clandestine operations - Fandom, lockdown - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:48:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22619623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/John_Steiner/pseuds/John_Steiner
Summary: Being cold was a useful trait for Zach as an intelligence officer, though it contributed to his becoming vampire also. Willing to make alliances with anyone useful, regardless of their ethics, Zach saw value in Papa Delane Henry. With the Columbus, Ohio operation soon coming, Zach knew that Papa Henry would be the ideal reconnaissance asset. The question ws for Zach, was there motivation enough for Papa Henry to accept the offer?
Series: Alter Idem [105]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1618813





	Stories of the Second Self: Unconventional Means

Driving through three states these days wasn't a safe activity. Zach knew that when accepting the assignment, but the Columbus Operation was coming up. Captain Appelbaum's report made it clear that retaking the city wouldn't be easy despite the hippie back-to-nature ideology of the Gaia Cult.

Zach didn't drive into Columbus, Ohio. Instead, with his electric windows darkened, he drove all day to get to the Silverton District of Cincinnati. The asset in question was in fact questionable in mind, but with Appelbaum tied up with another mission, the agency needed someone to provide ground forces with, what now was called "esoteric support."

Cell services were severely limited, but Zach's navigator led him to the hotel where he was to meet the asset. As briefed, he drove around the back, where he was several men sitting around chatting. From their posture and choice of jackets, Zach assumed they were all armed.

After parking, Zach got out of the car with no plates, and strode over to the group. The one with three-point antlers noticed Zach first, but the big guy with the plaid shirt and beard sniffed at the air before turning around.

"What y'all need here?" the bearded man asked with an Arkansas accept.

"I'm here to speak with Mr. Delane Henry," Zach replied.

"There's no 'Mister' Delane Henry here," the shorter Fae responded with a vernacular of someone streetwise. "You must be confused."

"We thought he might like this returned," Zach said, reaching into his windbreaker.

Half of the group reached for something, but they all stiffened up, until Zach pulled out a small rat doll made from scrap and a bit of cloth tying human hair around the neck. The plaid shirt guy stepped over and inspected it, before he turned to wave the others down.

"How'd you come by that?" the bearded Arkansan werewolf demanded.

"Our security protocols include spotting drones," Zach answered, looking over the fetish doll. "Rather unorthodox engineering, but it managed to get into the building where conventional drones normally wouldn't."

"Papa Henry isn't accepting guests this hour," the Arkansan stated with finality.

"Give that to him," Zach passed over the fetish, "and let him know I'm out here. He'll want to see me, and I have all night to wait."

The werewolf took the doll and went to a door down a set of stairs. Zach watched him knock once, and drag his forefinger knuckle down with the contact. The door opened on its own, and he went inside.

Shifting his weight to one foot, Zach fearlessly put his hands in his jacket pockets. The Fae paced around him to inspect Zach up and down. Most of the others appeared human with the appropriate body temperature glow.

"Lotta balls just comin' to the place without anyone knowning 'ya," the Fae said.

"I know about the Tesla Charm around your neck and the pistol on your hip," Zach revealed, sizing the Fae up. "I keep a polarized lens scope, myself, so any ideas you got would be ill-advised."

"Yo, Drew," another addressed the Fae. "Chill."

Zach watched the Fae walk back over to where the rest either sat or leaned against handrails. A few minutes passed until the plaid shirt werewolf reemerged from the basement door with a nod to Zach.

"Excuse me, fellas," Zach said as he strode by them.

"Lemme tell 'ya somethin'," the werewolf spoke, while leading the way down into a cement-walled room with one dingy light bulb. "Papa Henry don't like usual business bein' interrupted."

"Now let me explain this," Zach replied, as the werewolf pulled up an iron grate covering a ladder. "I convinced them not to conduct a drone strike, when the opportunity came up twice. That's how seriously we take his esoteric intrusion."

Walking down the hall with the werewolf, Zach noticed conditions and decor improving by shades. Then, the werewolf knocked on the door at the end, and a human woman with raven black hair opened it up.

"Ellsa," Zach spoke in greeting, nodding his head to the human woman.

It was a subtle message from Zach about knowing what he was getting into, which Ellsa Laqouis understood clearly. "Not exactly uptown, are you."

"No, I'm not," Zach admitted, and stepped in when invited.

The Arkansan werewolf followed him in and stayed by the door. Zach noticed the contrasting themes of the chamber. Noir furniture, Tolkienesque paintings and murals around the walls, pricey ballroom chandelier hanging overhead, and a ceiling painted to look like the starriest of night skies. At the head of it all stood an iron throne.

Zach was expecting the Witch King getup, but when Delane Henry entered he wore only his familiar business suit and gold capped dreadlocks.

"Ahh, you must be Zach," Delane said with a Jamaican accent, that Zach knew wasn't quite right. "The spirits spoke of your coming."

"I'm sure one squeaked loudly, as I carried it back," Zach alluded, and went over to one of the chairs to sit without permission.

"You are a bold one-- even for a vampire," Delante remarked with his normal sun-shiny chipper tone, and sat in his throne. "This visit isn't just about what you boys discovered in your lost and found bin, is it?"

"I thought you might like to get to the point," Zach explained, leaning forward clasping his lifeless hands together. "I have a job for you."

"My lovely assistant, Ms. Laqouis can certainly oblige," Delane replied, emulating Zach's posture for unknown effect.

"No," Zach refused flatly, "You."

"How interesting," Delane remarked, looking sideways at a fellow spontaneously-turned vampire. "I take it this is a continuation of our little arrangement?"

"What do you know about Columbus, Ohio?" Zach asked, and then pointed to his own jacket. "You mind?"

"Proceed," Delane granted lightly, with a gesture, and then answered the question. "I sense that nature is in bloom there. Strong, wild nature. It's being nursed along by... say, unconventional means."

Zach took off his jacket and laid it on his lap to free the folded envelop he had taped onto the inside back, and passed it over. "That includes photos adjusted for people without clearance to see. Normally, these would only end up in hands of the Senate and House Intelligence Committees."

"Only there's no such thing now," Delane stated, and smirked. "Hard to have committees when there is no senate or house. It amuses me just how many of them stand in the same demographic as you and I."

To Delane's taunting head tilt and raised brow, Zach merely replied with, "Civilian government is not my priority or purview."

"What are Langley's thoughts on you pitching me this task?" Delane asked, as he flipped over document pages and photos.

"Langley is not a factor anymore," Zach pointedly answered, and traded looks with Ellsa and the werewolf guard, before adding, "We had to cut a lot of them loose when re-prioritizing national security objectives. Those left don't number high enough to justify their agency charter, and so have been reassigned or let go."

Delane guffawed at that, "Let go! You're so funny."

"That's the official statement," Zach iterated and wiped at the sides of his nose while looking away. "I'm not going to get into further."

"Who is this lovely little fawn?" Delane asked, holding up the photo of the Fae elder woman.

"Her name is Ladonna," Zach answered, "We don't have a last name. We can't get additional aerial surveillance on her either. Anytime our UAVs get within a few kilometers of the city we lose contact. Tentative ground reconnaissance revealed that the drones were all hit with some sort of incendiary weapon, but there were no warhead fragments or bullet impacts."

"And these?" Delane easily moved onto to a stack of other files and images.

"It's a vampire cult," Zach admitted without hesitation. "They have recruited human subordinates, and they're involved in open clashes with the purists and the Gaia Cult. It's my understanding that someone of your, ah-- business background doesn't place high priority on what medical condition others may share with you."

"Us," Delane corrected with a raised finger, while still reading.

"In that last document are the conditions we need you to fulfill," Zach waved at the folder. "Dampen whatever phenomenon they're utilizing to control the airspace, gather intelligence on their force strength, capabilities, locations, and organizational structure."

"Quite a tall order," Delane remarked, closing the folder and handing it back.

"Nah, keep it," Zach said, holding a palm up, and adding, "We're aware of your ethereal indentured service."

"You have your spooks and I have mine," Delane chided at the turn of phrase. "Only mine can walk through walls."

"It's because of that we're assured that you're the correct person for this mission," Zach ceded, "However, in terms of physical personnel we'd like to keep the operational footprint down to the bare minimum."

"You want me to go alone?" Delane correctly surmised.

"As it were, yes," Zach admitted.

Ellsa raised her brows at Delane, and the werewolf behind Zach unfolded his arms with a hint of concern on his features. However, Delane appeared to carefully consider the details on the three factions he was being asked to spy on and hinder.

"Hmm," Delane voiced, "I'll need two weeks to prepare."

"We can afford you that," Zach conceded.

"Also," Delane raised his finger again, "If you have any magically trained people I'll need them to be gone from the city before I start. The reverberations of my craft can unsettle those sensitive to the spirit realm."

Zach was certain that condition was more so that Delane's methods couldn't be discovered by others able to emulate them, but it was a concession he was authorized to grant, if that's what it took to solidify the deal. "Done."

He and Delane smiled pleasantly at each other, before Delane rose from his throne with the folder to leave the room. Zach was escorted out in turn. Outside, he didn't look back while going for his car. Even as he drove out of the back lot, he poised himself as though he were just coming to an unremarkable intersection.

If Delane Henry said he'd do a thing, Zach's agency considered it done.


End file.
